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Difficulty: MediumPhilosophical Foundations of the American Revolution

Read the excerpt below.

"All men are by nature equal in their rights. No one has any authority over another but by mutual consent... A state of society is a state of mutual compact, in which every individual gives up a part of his natural liberty for the sake of the protection and security of the whole. But no man can give up the right of thinking for himself, or of worshipping God according to his conscience. These rights are inalienable, and can never be surrendered to any human power."
— Silas Downer, *A Discourse Delivered in Providence*, 1768

The ideas expressed in the excerpt most directly contributed to which of the following developments?

  1. The growth of a movement for independence that rejected the authority of the British Parliament over the colonies.Answer
  2. B
    The immediate organization of the Stamp Act Congress to protest the imposition of direct internal taxes.
  3. C
    The creation of the Articles of Confederation to establish a strong central executive capable of protecting citizen liberties.
  4. D
    The emergence of Hamilton’s Federalist faction to advocate for strict constructionist interpretations of government authority.

Answer

The growth of a movement for independence that rejected the authority of the British Parliament over the colonies.
The correct answer is correct because the excerpt articulates Enlightenment ideas of natural rights and the social contract (mutual compact and mutual consent). In the years leading up to 1776, these concepts became the primary ideological justification for the American colonies to declare independence and reject British parliamentary authority.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the stimulus document for core themes.
The text asserts that 'all men are by nature equal,' authority requires 'mutual consent' (social contract), and certain rights are 'inalienable.' This aligns with Enlightenment philosophy, specifically John Locke's ideas.
Understanding the philosophical concepts in the stimulus is necessary to connect them to historical events.
2
Evaluate how these concepts were used in the late eighteenth century.
Enlightenment theories of natural rights and the social contract were adapted by American colonists to argue that the British government had violated their rights, justifying colonial resistance and the ultimate decision to seek independence.
This establishes the historical connection between the philosophical foundation and its practical political outcome.
3
Evaluate the distractors and rule them out based on historical accuracy.
The organization of the Stamp Act Congress (1765) predated the excerpt (1768). The Articles of Confederation avoided a strong executive rather than creating one. Hamilton's Federalists advocated for loose construction, not strict construction.
Ensures that distractors are eliminated based on chronological, structural, and political-philosophical inaccuracies.

Key Concept

Philosophical Foundations of the American Revolution
Estimated Time:1m 30s
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Philosophical Foundations of the American Revolution

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